


Back away from the Water, Babe, You Might Drown

by goodpersonwithafetishforevilpeople



Category: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Play, Anal Plug, Anal Sex, BDSM, Begging, Blindfolds, Blood, Blood Kink, Bottom Dennis Reynolds, Bottom Mac McDonald, Breathplay, Coming In Pants, Creampie, Crying, Cuddling & Snuggling, Cutting, Dacryphilia, Daddy Kink, Daydreaming, Dirty Talk, Dirty Thoughts, Dom/sub, Flirting, Humiliation, Implied Sexual Content, Knifeplay, Lingerie, M/M, Marking, Masochism, Masturbation, Public Humiliation, Rape Fantasy, Rape/Non-con Elements, Romantic Friendship, Sadism, Seduction, Sexual Tension, Situational Humiliation, Teasing, Top Dennis Reynolds, Top Mac McDonald, Verbal Humiliation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-25
Updated: 2019-04-25
Packaged: 2020-01-31 14:16:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18592957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goodpersonwithafetishforevilpeople/pseuds/goodpersonwithafetishforevilpeople
Summary: "Way down 'til the fire finally dies outYou've got him wrapped around your fingerWatch him fall downThere's something beautiful and tragic in the falloutLet me say it one more time(Tragic in the fallout)"- Panic! at the Disco, "Miss Jackson"





	1. Time's Up for Mac

"You know, you didn't have to humiliate us like that, bro. And that was such bullshit anyway! You're a total fucking hypocrite!" Mac fumes as he and Dennis enter their apartment. "Not to mention, only a complete psychopath would go through the trouble of something like that just to make a point - a vain, vacant point!"

"Wow, you really did start working out for real; didn't even skip vocabulary day."

"Shut up, dude. You know, you think I'm so in love with you, but why would I be? You're sarcastic and irritable and, hell, just mean. I could do so much better than you now anyway."

Dennis arches an eyebrow at Mac's claim. He suppresses a smirk as a thought crosses his mind. He'll show Mac just how mean he can be - and prove just how irresistible Mac really finds him. In good time. "Please," he scoffs. "As far as I know, you've never dated or even banged a guy - and I've known you a long time, bro."

"Hey, some repressed gays go their whole lives without dating someone they're attracted to. Some even marry and have kids and then just... stay like that."

"Well, sure, but you've been out for, like, half a year, at least, and it's not like you've got a family tying you down. So, what's your excuse?" Before Mac can answer, Dennis goes on, "You know what I think? I think you're afraid. I think you're afraid that if you dated a guy, all you'd be able to imagine..." Dennis drops his voice to an intimidating whisper as he crowds Mac's space, "... is that it's me pinning you down, fingering you open, fucking you..." Dennis murmurs, emphasizing the harsh consonants of the penultimate word.

Mac's eyes widen at Dennis's words. He chuckles uncomfortably, trying to shift the tone as he says, his voice coming out weak and thin, "As if you'd be able to pin me down."

"You'd let me," Dennis says without a trace of doubt. He reaches a hand up to stroke over Mac's new bicep and squeezes gently. He brings his other hand up to mirror his right one on Mac's other arm. "Mmm. Yeah, God, just imagine how it'd feel to dominate you now, knowing how easily you could overpower me... But knowing you wouldn't dare. I wouldn't stand a chance trying to punish you in any traditional sense, but you'd know that if you pissed me off, I'd find some cunning way to retaliate," Dennis murmurs, the corners of his mouth curling up in a smirk as he nears the end of his thought.

The odd combination of flattery, derision, and vague threat that Dennis speaks has Mac straining against his jeans. His Adam's apple bobs as he gazes at Dennis admiring his arms, appreciating his strength that he knows means nothing against the strange, strangling hold that Dennis has on him in a way that he suspects is neither healthy nor typical. Is Dennis going to offer to fuck him? What is this?

As if he'd read Mac's mind, Dennis says to Mac's chest, still smirking in that self-satisfied way that riles Mac up in so many ways, "I bet you're thinking about it right now. Not just thinking... Hoping." Dennis finally meets Mac's eyes. "Isn't that right, baby boy?"

Unable to say or do anything else, Mac just nods, his eyes wide with wonder and hope. He's certain that Dennis can feel how worked up he is through the burning heat of his skin.

Dennis hadn't been lying at the seminar; it's never going to happen. No, he is never going to fuck Mac, is never going to kiss him... but there's so much else that has him hardening at the thought. Such a vast array of filthy, awful, delightful things to which he can't wait to subject Mac. But he will wait. He'll draw it out, leave Mac wondering when something's going to happen, something that always seems to be right on the brink of happening. He'll kindle Mac's desire until it's a smoky, ashen wreck that never had a chance to bear a single flame. A bizarre thrill shoots through Dennis's bones as he wonders how Mac will react... If Mac will eventually get fed up, if he'll try to think up ways to outsmart Dennis into giving him what he wants, what Dennis is teasing, or if he'll break like Dee had all those years ago, or... if he'll take advantage of his superior strength. It's not likely that Mac will resort to that, but Dennis is unsurprised to find that, instead of worrying him, the thought excites him even more than his sadistic fantasies. Fuck, now he almost does want to fuck Mac. No, no, he has to maintain the upper hand. He isn't sure why; he just does. It's his nature. It's their nature. The part of their friendship that's something other than friendship. He knows Mac knows it, too. For all his machismo and constant bravado, there's something significant stopping Mac from ducking Dennis's scratches, something pervasive preventing him from matching Dennis's shouts, something inherent halting him from impaling Dennis on the spikes of his own cruel words when they fly from his mouth and into Mac's heart.

"Don't do this to me," Mac chokes out in a whisper.

"Do what?" Dennis asks, his eyes wide and as innocent and unassuming as his question.

"I want you." It almost pains Mac to say it, for he knows Dennis already knows. He'd made that so clear at the seminar. Mac's eyes begin to sting with tears that threaten to spill at any moment as he remembers the shame and devastation he'd felt at Dennis's public rejection.

Dennis reaches a hand up to wipe a tear from below Mac's eye with his thumb. "I know," he murmurs. God, he's so hard. He knows it's wrong, getting off on seeing Mac like this, on holding him while he weeps, on harvesting the vulnerability that Dennis himself had cultivated in him. It's so... so wrong.

Mac quickly wraps his arms around Dennis's back and buries his face in Dennis's shoulder. He allows himself to sob quietly while Dennis strokes one hand over Mac's back and the other through his hair. "I'm sorry," Mac whispers as his tears fall upon Dennis's shirt.

"It's okay," Dennis mutters. "I'm sorry I'm mean," he adds softly after a few seconds.

"No... No, this isn't your fault. I just... Today was a lot. I just need to lie down."

"Okay." Dennis continues to hold Mac as he leads him to his bed. He gently sits Mac down upon its edge, then drops to his knees to undo Mac's belt. After sliding it through the loops, Dennis undoes the button and fly of Mac's jeans. He hooks the first two fingers of each of his hands into Mac's waistband and urges him to lift his ass so that Dennis can slide his jeans down his legs. Dennis places his palms just above Mac's knees. "Hey. Look at me, baby boy."

Mac places his hands over Dennis's as he looks down at him with glossy, reddened eyes.

"I am going to toy with you." Dennis figures that it's only fair he warn Mac. "It gets me off like you wouldn't imagine. It's probably the closest you'll ever get to sex with me. I might even do things that venture somewhat into sexual territory. Even just now when you were crying... Here, I'll -" Dennis undoes the fly of his own jeans to display the extent of his arousal.

Mac's eyes widen and his breath catches at the sight. He feels the erection that had been eroded by his tears begin to resurface.

Dennis tucks himself back into his pants and plants his hands once more upon Mac's knees. He holds Mac's gaze as he assures him, "But I'll always take care of you after." Dennis grins. "I enjoy that part, too."

Mac traces his thumbs in the veins on the backs of Dennis's hands as he asks him with measurable anxiety, "What if it's too much? What if it becomes too much, Den?"

"You might feel it is, at times. I'll like it, though. And after your distress, once you've calmed down, we'll reassess. If you still feel then that I went too far... Well, it's not likely that I will."

Mac shudders in a shaky breath, then brings his legs up and settles under his covers. He takes off his shirt, flinging it over the foot of his bed.

Dennis runs his hand through Mac's hair. He kisses him chastely on the forehead. "Good night, baby boy."

"Dennis?"

"Yeah, man."

"Do you hate me?"

"Of course not, Mac."

"Do you... Do you love me?"

"No. I care about you, though. Get some sleep." Dennis hears Mac crying softly just before he shuts his door as he makes his way to his own room. Dennis undresses and brushes his teeth. He interlaces his fingers beneath his head once he settles into his covers. It isn't just sadism. There's a certain intimacy in this kind of raw emotionality. He reaches down to touch himself, keeping one hand under his head as he closes his eyes. Dennis comes to the image of Mac hugging his own knees and sobbing. It's so wrong.


	2. Mac Gets New Scars

The next day, Dennis gathers everyone at the bar. "Now, I know I was gone for a long time. You're confused, you want to ask me questions -"

"I don't," Mac cuts in.

Dennis glares at him. Mac's surliness is understandable, but far from permissible. Dennis will have to punish him later. He goes on, "But I have a question for all of you: Where is it?"

"Where's... what?" Charlie wonders.

"My car, man! Where's my car?"

"Oh. Right where you left it, bro."

Dennis stands in horror and awe at the sight of his demolished Range Rover as his friends lead him out into the parking lot to behold it. He scowls pointedly at Mac. Not only had that been his car, its demise had been Mac's Valentine's Day present to him!

Dennis puts on a genial front as he rescues Mac and Charlie from a pack of angry dads and Dee and Frank from a pair of outraged moms in his new Range Rover. Stumbling upon it in that soy boy beta cuck's garage had almost seemed like fate. Dennis drops the three other degenerates off before entering his and Mac's apartment with Mac close in tow.

"So," Dennis says, dropping his keys loudly onto the table. He folds his arms over his chest. "The rocket finally came."

Mac caresses the back of his neck sheepishly, avoiding Dennis's eyes. "Thanks for picking me up," he mutters to his shoes.

"Mmhm." Dennis takes a step towards Mac. "What have I said about looking at me when you're talking to me?" he murmurs, his voice low and dark.

Mac steels himself with a quick breath before finally meeting Dennis's impenetrable gaze. Mac doesn't dare look away, transfixed by the glacial steel in Dennis's ire. "Sorry," he chokes out, his mouth and throat suddenly feeling uncomfortably dry.

Dennis clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth in disapproval. "You know, you say you're sorry..." He lets one of his hands rest heavily on Mac's shoulder. "but I just don't think you are."

Mac glances nervously at Dennis's hand on his shoulder, then back to Dennis's face. "What are you... W-What are you gonna do to me?" he stammers.

"Nothing you don't deserve." Dennis grins sardonically.

"Please," Mac whispers.

Dennis tilts his head in question. "What are you begging for?" he inquires, his grin still illuminating his face.

"Just... Keep in mind this is my first time doing this."

"Doing what?" The question would have come out sounding innocent and genuine were it not for Dennis's persistent grin.

Mac sputters. "Exactly! Look, just... Whatever you're planning on doing... Just... don't be too cruel. Please."

"Me? Cruel?" God, just speaking the taunt starts to raise Dennis's body temperature. Even the word "cruel" has a strangely aesthetic appeal: the crisp hardness of the first letter, the way the second and third demand one's lips twist before landing on the cool softness of the last...

"Dennis - Den, I - I'm not sure -"

"Shut up," Dennis says curtly, dropping his smile. He pats Mac on the cheek. "Go wait for me in your bed."

"Um, should I get undressed or -?"

"It's your call." Dennis heads into the bathroom as Mac retreats into his room. Dennis brushes his teeth and relieves himself. Then, he takes a shower. A long, hot shower. He spends about twenty minutes applying lotions and moisturizers. He blow-dries his hair. He flosses, then brushes his teeth again. He rinses with mouthwash. He trims his nails. He tweezes his eyebrows. Finally, Dennis wraps a towel around his waist and gathers his clothes from the bathroom floor to deposit them in the hamper in his room. He looks at the alarm clock on his nightstand: 9:42. Mac would likely still be awake. Dennis hangs the towel on a hook behind his door. He gets dressed in a black t-shirt and sleep pants, then softly pads his way to Mac's room in bare feet. He raps two knuckles gently on Mac's door, twice.

"Come in." Mac's voice is completely neutral; Dennis is actually sort of impressed by how well he managed to strike that balance.

Dennis lets himself into Mac's room and stands, with his arms folded, at the foot of Mac's bed. He keeps his expression as neutral as Mac's voice had been. "You naked under there?"

"No, I - I have underwear on."

"What did you do for nearly two hours?"

"More like an hour and a half," Mac mutters.

Dennis raises an eyebrow expectantly.

"I..." Mac bites his lip before confessing, "I thought about what you might do."

"Mm." Dennis crosses the room to stand next to Mac. He caresses Mac's recently chiseled jaw. "You look like a sculpture now," he idly marvels.

Mac closes his eyes, savouring both Dennis's praise and his adoring touch. He doesn't dare speak for fear of breaking this spell of gentleness.

Dennis is generally one for psychological torture and emotional manipulation. However, with yesterday's waterworks and Mac's new physique, it might be more suitable to start him off with something more physical. "Chiseled... Like you were carved from marble..." Dennis drifts his fingers down Mac's throat and leaves them splayed across one of his pecs. "Guess someone had to take up the mantle of being the hot one while I was gone." Dennis smiles lop-sidedly. "Carving, now... There's an idea... How important is it to you to look this pretty?"

Mac looks up at Dennis with worry clearly swimming in his eyes that shine in the darkness of his room, lit only by the glow of his alarm clock and the street lights outside his uncurtained window. "I... I'd rather not have scars."

"No permanent ones; I wouldn't do that. Do you care where they are?" Dennis traces his fingers in the ridges of Mac's chest.

A shiver runs through Mac at Dennis's feathery touch. "My chest is okay, I guess... Maybe my stomach... My back... And I guess my thighs." Mac considers offering his feet as another often concealed part of his body to serve as Dennis's canvas, but realizes that that would likely hurt like hell.

"Okay. I'll be right back. Wait there." When Dennis returns to Mac's side after a few minutes, he's holding gauze in one hand and an X-Acto knife in the other. "I disinfected it. Lay down," Dennis instructs, sliding the orange plastic handle of the knife between the knuckles of his middle and ring finger to pull the covers off Mac, exposing him in only his white boxers and a fine, glistening sheen of sweat.

Mac complies, shifting his body down the bed to lay on his back, his hands up near his head, gripping the bottom edge of his pillow. He inhales deeply as he closes his eyes, bracing for the impending sting of the knife.

"It might sting a bit, or even feel like it's burning. You can keep your eyes closed throughout."

Mac is unsure if that's permission or instruction; regardless, his eyes remain closed as Dennis slices across his chest. Mac's abdomen is more sensitive, and he winces when the blade penetrates it. Mac squeezes his pillow until his knuckles are white as Dennis dabs at Mac's wounds with the gauze. The whole ordeal takes about an hour. Mac can tell that Dennis is being careful to be precise. He wonders what he's drawn on him.

"Alright," Dennis says, returning from depositing the bloodied gauze in Mac's trashcan. "You can look now."

Mac's eyes widen when he tucks his chin down to look at his chest. Scrawled in beautiful cursive in Mac's own blood are the words, "Dennis's bitch." He's a little pissed off, but he feels his boxers tent as soon as he reads the phrase.

"So? What do you think?" Dennis grins.

Mac nods. "You, uh, you've got nice penmanship, man. Or... knifemanship?"

Dennis hovers his hand over his artwork so close to Mac's body that they can feel the heat from each other's skin. "How does it feel?" Dennis asks genuinely.

"Still stings a bit."

Dennis's grin returns to its post. "That's not what I meant."

"Um... What do you mean?"

"Do you agree with it?"

"Hah, well, I mean, I did let you do this to me... And apparently you expect me to let you keep doing stuff to me... So, I guess I'm your bottom, in that sense, since I'm, like, receiving your... actions..."

"That's not an answer. I think you're getting there, though."

Mac takes a deep, quick breath. "Am I your bitch? Hah, well... I - I guess."

"Yeah you are," Dennis murmurs.

Mac watches in captivated arousal as Dennis cleans Mac's blood from his knife ever so carefully... with his tongue.

Dennis meets Mac's eyes as his tongue flicks out for the last drop, a smirk shining in them at Mac through the dark. Dennis closes the blade and slips it into the pocket of his red plaid pyjamas. He leaves Mac's room without either of them saying another word.


	3. Dennis Creates a Problem in the Bathroom

The following day, Paddy's staff are hyped up for a Jimmy Buffett concert. After they've closed and are killing time at the bar before the show, however, the issue of the bathroom comes up.

"Charlie!" Frank exclaims when Charlie emerges from the stall in full drag. "You are a cross-dresser!"

"No, I'm - Alright, look." As Charlie explains the small portion of his messed up childhood that's responsible for this latest outlandishness, Dennis discreetly pulls Mac aside.

They stand past the end of the stalls, away from the rest of the gang. "Check it out," Dennis whispers as he turns around to flash a patented Paddy's thong at Mac.

Mac's eyes fly open fully in surprise. He clears his throat. "Hah, guess, uh, guess Charlie's not the only cross-dresser here, huh?"

"Do you like it?" Dennis asks, grinning flirtatiously.

Mac flounders for a moment before finally gathering himself. "Y-Yeah, dude."

"It really brings out my junk." Dennis turns to face Mac and undoes his fly to demonstrate his statement.

Mac chokes on his own spit. Dennis is partially hard, barely contained by the lingerie. "Is this turning you on, bro?"

"I'm vain-sexual," Dennis half-jokingly admits. "I like being ogled."

Mac places his hands on Dennis's hips and gazes unabashedly at his crotch as he smirks. "Well, I'm more than happy to oblige, bro."

"Ugh, stop with the "bro," man. Makes it sound... straight."

Mac raises an eyebrow as he glances up at Dennis. "You're not straight?"

"I mean, it sounds like "no homo," you know?"

"Right. Um... Is this... homo?"

Dennis just shrugs. "Feel how soft the material is, man."

Mac's gasp is barely audible, but Dennis catches it. "Really?"

"Yeah, ma- Oh, shit, they're leaving. Come on." Dennis refastens his jeans as he hastily leads Mac out of the bathroom.

Mac's frustration blares loudly in his mind as he begrudgingly follows Dennis back to the bar. He discreetly adjusts himself as he takes a seat on one of the bar stools. He eventually finds an excuse to jack off in the back office under the pretense of printing out illustrated signs for the bathrooms. The gang unanimously reject Mac's signs, but he's alright with that.

Exhausted, Mac falls asleep almost immediately upon returning home from the concert. He'd been so close to touching Dennis...


	4. Mac and Dennis Do Ass Play

"Ugh, God," Dennis groans at the bar the next day. "This update says it's going to take half an hour."

"Great. What do we do until then?" Dee sulks.

"Oh! I know!" Mac pipes up. "Why don't we reminisce on all our favourite memories?"

"Eh," Dee grimaces. "I feel like that's something you do when you're getting old and can't think of anything fun to do."

"No, no!" Mac insists. "This will be fun! Yeah, why don't we reminisce on all the classic moments?"

The nostalgia quickly devolves into a bizarre surreality. One "memory" in particular, however, perturbs Mac quite a bit. "You don't like living with me, Dennis?" he asks, hurt.

"Oh, no, I love it," Dennis responds with his trademark sarcasm. "Who wouldn't want a roommate who spends three hours a day on the dildo bike?"

Mac makes no effort to conceal his anguish. "Well, this doesn't feel good."

Mac broods in silence the entire drive back to their apartment. He slams his bedroom door shut and flops down on his bed almost as soon as they enter. Not ten minutes later, he hears a soft, tentative knock on his door.

Dennis pushes open Mac's bedroom door, which makes a soft sound as it opens against the carpet. "Hey, buddy," he ventures smoothly as he walks over to where Mac is sprawled atop his covers. Not really knowing what to do with his hands, Dennis shoves them awkwardly into his pockets. He taps one foot against the floor restlessly. He bites his lip. "You mad at me?"

Mac shrugs.

Dennis sighs. He scratches the back of his head as he considers what to do.

Mac finally turns over and sits partly up to face Dennis. "Was that one of your things?"

"What?"

"One of the cruel things...?"

"Oh. No, that... That was just me being a dick. You know I didn't mean it, right?"

"No. No, Den, I don't know. How can I?"

"Hm. Oh! Okay, tell you what. Why don't I make it up to you?" Dennis excitedly darts out of Mac's room and Mac hears his keys jingle in the kitchen.

"Hey, man!" Mac calls. "Where are you going?"

"I'll be right back!" Dennis calls before pulling shut their front door, leaving Mac alone and somewhat bewildered in their apartment.

Less than twenty minutes later, Dennis returns carrying a shiny black gift bag. He grins as he returns to Mac's room. "Okay, so, I feel bad about giving you a hard time about the bike. I don't really get it, but... I get it."

"What's in the bag, bro?"

Dennis withdraws a deep burgundy, silken blindfold from it, embroidered with silver thread. "I think you'll like it. Actually, I'm almost certain you'll love it, if your particular workout addiction is any indicator. You're gonna have to trust me, though. Okay, baby boy?"

Mac nods and closes his eyes. He feels Dennis slip the blindfold over them. He opens his eyes again. It's a quality one, for he's unable to see a thing, save for a tiny sliver of light peeking in from the bottom.

"I'd like you to undress for me."

"Like, fully or...?"

Dennis nods stupidly before remembering that Mac can't see him. "Yeah. Everything."

Mac becomes acutely aware of his heartbeat as he strips off his shirt, then his belt and his jeans, followed by his socks and underwear. He folds his hands in his lap, partially concealing his erection.

"Lay down on your stomach."

Mac obeys, but mumbles into the pillow just loud enough for Dennis to hear, "You better not be teasing me, man." God, his dick is leaking already. Mac hears Dennis rummaging around in Mac's nightstand before he feels Dennis's weight settle on the backs of his thighs. He hears the plastic bag hit the carpet with the thud of whatever it contains, then he hears a plastic cap flip open. Mac gasps and grabs onto his pillow when he feels Dennis's finger enter him. It doesn't take long before Dennis adds a second, then a third. It doesn't hurt, but Dennis seems eager as well. It feels like Mac's heart is going to beat right out of his newly scarred chest when Dennis's fingers leave him to slick up something else before finally closing the lube and putting it back in the drawer. Instead of the intrusion he'd been expecting, however, Mac feels himself stretch with some difficulty around a cold, dense, glass object. He relaxes as best he can until it's finally sheathed as far inside him as its flared base allows.

"There," Dennis says, patting the base of the translucent purple plug and thus causing Mac to wriggle his hips slightly. Dennis rubs his palm against it forcefully and asks over Mac's moaning, "How's that, baby?"

"Den," Mac gasps. "Dennis!"

"Mm?"

Mac whines into his pillow. "Nnn! Wait, I'm -"

"You gonna come for me, Mac? So soon? You gonna make a mess all over your bed like a little teenager? You look manlier than ever, but we both know you're just my little boy, right? My little bitch. Come for Daddy, baby."

"Ah! F-Fuck!" Mac trembles and shudders through his orgasm as it soaks his sheets. He lays panting, covered in sweat, listening to Dennis's smug chuckle.

"Help me out here," Dennis says as he grips onto the plug and braces his other hand against the slick hardness of Mac's ass cheek. "Push."

Mac blushes as he complies with Dennis's instructions and feels Dennis pull the plug from him with a loud, wet suction. It's a bit of a relief, though it had felt damn good inside.

Dennis wipes the plug clean with some tissues from Mac's end table before dropping the plug back in the bag and the tissues in the trashcan. He walks back to Mac's bed and sits on the edge as Mac lifts off the blindfold and rolls heavily onto his back, the fresh stain on Mac's left and Dennis to his right. Dennis traces his fingers lightly in the lettering on Mac's torso. He catches Mac's eyes and grins.

Mac smiles weakly, exhausted and sated. He reaches a hand up to rest atop Dennis's, stilling it against his chest, as he lets his eyes slip closed. He feels Dennis kiss him ever so softly on his forehead before he hears his bedroom door creak quietly shut as he descends into unconsciousness for the night.


	5. Mac Processes His Pride

Mac is extremely anxious the following day. He's scheduled to dance at the Pride Parade, but a dance that carries a far heavier weight oppresses his spirit. He brings Frank along with him to the prison for moral support.

"I get it," Frank proclaims in awe as he stands for the dance that Luther had rejected, for the beautiful, strong, vulnerable son whom that asshole had rejected. "I finally get it."

Frank and Mac's gorgeous dance partner walk him home, each on either side of him, holding his hand. The three of them embrace at the door before parting ways.

"You going to be alright?" Frank asks.

"Yeah. Yeah, I - I'll be fine. Hey, thanks for coming with me today, Frank. I really wasn't expecting my dad to be so..."

"Awful?"

"Well, yeah. I was gonna say "cold." I mean, what with Eduardo... Eh, it doesn't matter. I'm just glad you came."

Frank smiles. "Me too, kid." He pats Mac on the arm before setting off for his and Charlie's apartment.

Mac is sullen the rest of the evening. He picks at his takeout as he sits across from Dennis.

"Hey, what's up, man?" Dennis asks before taking another bite.

Mac rests his cheek against his fist and shrugs one shoulder.

"You seem glum."

Mac sighs. "I came out to my dad today."

"Oh. I take it it didn't go too well?"

"Your dad was there, too."

"Oh, man, I'm so sorry."

"No, actually, he... helped. He helped me handle it when my dad... left. I did, like, this whole gay spiritual dance routine. It sounds kind of stupid, but I worked really hard on it. I think my partner has some pretty good footage of us rehearsing."

"I'd like to see that," Dennis says sincerely. It lifts his spirits slightly when Mac grants him a small smile. "Eat up, baby boy. Need your energy if you're gonna be dancing around everywhere."

Mac huffs a small laugh and finally takes a bite of his food. They finish their meal in silence, leaving Mac to daydream. Frank would've made a pretty good father-in-law.

"You wanna watch a movie or something?" Dennis asks as they dispose of their takeout containers.

"Nah, I'm kinda tired. Today was a lot, you know?"

Dennis nods. "He might come around eventually."

"I doubt it."

"But didn't he and that Eduardo guy -?"

"Yeah, I don't know what his problem is. Maybe it'd be different if I was bi. He was pretty adamant about wanting grandkids."

"Hm. I guess that would make sense. You can still have kids, you know."

"I think it's kind of expensive, whether I adopt or do it artificially. And I'd probably have to find a committed partner first, anyway."

"Yeah. It's too bad I'm not gay, huh?"

"Yeah... Um, I've been meaning to ask you about that..."

Dennis pauses for a moment, considering. "Have you heard of the Kinsey scale?" he begins.

"Yeah, of course, dude. Alfred Kinsey, right?"

"Right. Well, I'd say I'm maybe somewhere between a two and a three. I definitely prefer women."

"A three? So, you're bisexual? Because that's, like, right in the middle."

"I lean a little to the left, if you're reading it left to right. So, no, I still identify as straight. Although I guess "heteroflexible" is the term kids are using these days, which I guess would be more accurate."

"Oh."

"Hey, where would you say you land?"

"Hmmm... Probably a five. Definitely gay, but there are a couple of women I don't regret sleeping with."

"Yeah? Like who?"

"Carmen, though I do regret how I treated her."

"Eh, we were all kind of dicks. I think she was kind of a novelty to us. Probably wouldn't be such a big deal now."

"Eh, true. Doesn't excuse it, though."

"No, it doesn't. Who's the other chick?"

"Oh. Your mom," Mac says with utter nonchalance as he abruptly leaves the room to get ready for bed, leaving Dennis equal parts pissed off and amused.


	6. Dennis Makes It Up to Mac

"I'm really not sure about this," Mac hedges on his and Dennis's drive to work the next morning.

Dennis beams at Mac as he pulls into the parking lot behind Paddy's and kills the engine. "God, I'm going to have so much fun with you, baby boy."

"I don't like the sound of that," Mac mutters as they enter the bar. He walks as quickly as he can to his post behind the bar. It's a bit of an awkward shuffle with the large glass plug filling his ass.

Dennis takes every available opportunity and then some to playfully smack Mac on the ass every time he walks by him. Mac jumps and bites his lip against any sound that threatens to erupt each time.

"Dennis!" Mac finally hisses, shooting his friend a death glare.

"Yeah?" Dennis grins.

Mac glances pointedly at his own fly, anxiety and possibly even panic swimming in his hazel eyes.

"Oh. Wow," Dennis laughs when he catches sight of the wet patch seeping through the front of Mac's jeans. Dennis can't help himself. Just the thought of what he's about to do has him hardening already. It's so cruel. "Hey, guys!" Dennis calls to the rest of the gang. "Come check this out!" Dennis steps directly behind Mac and cages him in against the bar with his arms on either side of him as their friends gather before them. Before Mac has so much as a chance to think, Dennis yanks him back by his waistband, displaying his crotch, and fervently rubs the seat of Mac's pants with his other hand.

Mac comes embarrassingly fast... And embarrassingly hard... In front of all his friends... Plus whoever else is in the bar. A faint, very pained sob escapes his mouth as hot tears run down his equally hot face. He slaps Dennis's forearm as he runs to the bathroom, loudly slamming and locking a stall.

"That... That might have been a bit much," Dennis sheepishly admits. He is hard as fuck, though.

"You think? Go check on him, asshole!" Dee scolds.

"No, wait," Charlie interjects. "Give him some time, maybe. Let him cool down. I'd say check on him in, like, five or ten minutes."

Dennis nods. He busies himself wiping down the bar as his friends disperse. Roughly eight minutes later, Dennis heads into the animal shithouse. He knocks gently with two knuckles against the door of the one locked stall. "Hey," he calls softly.

The only response that echoes off the metal walls is a wet sniffling.

"Please open the door, man."

Just as Dennis is about to give up waiting and leave, he hears the lock slide and the door squeal open. Mac's eyes are red and wet, as is the rest of his face, to a lesser degree.

"I'm so sorry," Dennis breathes.

"Did it get you off?" Mac asks, the question dripping with scorn.

Dennis shifts uncomfortably. "I'm... Yeah, it got me hard. I am sorry, though. I won't ever humiliate you publicly like that again."

Mac walks over to the graffitied wall and slumps against it. He slides down onto the dirty tile and wraps his arms around his knees. He looks at his knees as he confides, "You made me feel... bad about... being gay."

Dennis's eyes widen and he gasps softly. "Oh. Oh, baby, I'm so sorry." He rushes to Mac's side and squats down next to him. He places one hand firmly on Mac's knee. "Mac, that wasn't my intention. At all."

Mac scoffs. "So, what, you just wanted to make me feel bad... in general? Not for being gay, but just for being... me?"

Dennis sighs. "It really wasn't personal. I just wanted to do it. I wish I hadn't, if that's any consolation."

Mac stares overtly at the tent in Dennis's jeans. "Yeah. Clearly."

"Look, like I admitted, it got me hard, but it was too far. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

Mac swallows nervously. "... Anything?"

"Within reason."

"Well... I guess, depending on what you consider that to be..." Mac bites his lip before finally continuing, "Have you ever been fucked?"

Dennis exhales a short laugh in surprise. "You want to do that to me?" His erection is almost beginning to hurt.

"I mean.... Yeah. If you'll let me."

Dennis drops his voice in both pitch and volume as he whispers right in Mac's ear, "You want to punish me for what I did to you? Hold me down as you fuck all your anger into me? Shove my face into the pillow as you shoot your pain into me, bordering on suffocating me until I'm almost certain I'm going to pass out, completely at your mercy and your disposal?"

"Jesus Christ," Mac breathes.

Dennis smirks. "Then let's go." He holds his hand down to Mac as he stands.

Mac grabs the offered hand and gets to his feet. Neither of them acknowledges anyone else as they make their way to Dennis's car.

That night, Mac makes Dennis sleep next to him, his body spooned in Mac's arms, his hair a sweaty, curly mess, and Mac's come held snugly in place within Dennis's ass by that goddamned plug.

**Author's Note:**

> Context/ references:  
> 1\. I tried looking for Dennis's speech, but unfortunately all I could find was the promo for the episode in which chapter one takes place: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrswfDFq4Nk Essentially, Dennis calls out his friends for sexual harassment at the seminar, and Mac in particular for objectifying him and constantly trying to kiss him. "It's never going to happen - not willingly," Dennis tells Mac before it's revealed that Dennis organized the entire seminar.  
> 1\. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BnrcF9Mr80  
> 1./ 2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCadbE00ucM&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR2S6CZj1IT8B1TUV-6RgZAwbOGRKwtKWLuwJ1c_zAHg7FCc8hHRrXeWEYo  
> 2\. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAtu42SeFIc&feature=share  
> 2\. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txkQE1LkppU&feature=share  
> 2\. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbKUJTbSXrw&feature=share  
> 2\. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzoxSohbzWo&feature=share  
> 2\. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICte9nvpS-U&feature=share  
> 2\. https://youtu.be/ZprlUYPJHt8  
> 3\. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68aAlNaHlyU&feature=share  
> 3\. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plj-SZA5uMw  
> 4\. I unfortunately couldn't find the relevant clip for this episode, either, but basically the dialogue in the bar in the story is canon. Dennis imagines that Mac isn't his roommate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA1Q1xSxo6w&feature=share  
> 4\. This is the bike they're talking about: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ns46Z10IU4s&feature=share  
> 5\. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPG4eD4Dfx0&feature=share  
> 5\. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipbl63WR3sI  
> 5\. https://youtu.be/97gHm07xUao  
> 5\. https://youtu.be/hpZecFti3HM  
> 6\. They ended up naming their bathroom "animal shithouse" in the episode in which chapter three takes place.


End file.
